Living off immoral earnings?

Living off immoral earnings?

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Discussion

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

222 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all

A slightly unusual and, dare I say it, amusing situation has come up.

Part of what my company does is rent flats and about 6 months ago a couple in their late 50s rented one, with a plausible back story.

Our handyman, who's an astute chap, reported that the situation didn't seem right when he visited. So I asked him to be vigilant.

When a fire alarm went off a few weeks ago, he went into the flat and found it largely unfurnished save for a four-poster bed in the bedroom. The kitchen was empty and an open wardrobe contained nothing but two PVC bikinis, two peaked caps and a dildo of about 18 inches with a rubber sucker on one end.

Further enquiries have revealed that men have been seen loitering outside the flat on mobile phones, immediately prior to being let in.

It's amusing because neither of the tenants are someone you'd want to see in a PVC bikini, nor using a massive rubber dildo in anger.

The situation does, however, present me with a problem. How to handle the situation. I am tempted just to give them notice, however I want them gone swiftly. My understanding is that if she is plying her trade on her own she is not breaking the law. However, it appears that he is the "business owner". That being the case, I believe he would be living off immoral earnings and committing an offence under The Sexual Offences Act, 2003.

Before anyone suggests it, putting the rent up as compensation would also be an offence I think!

Any suggestions regarding the best way to play it?




hman

7,487 posts

194 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
Grab some coke - the wes are there already!

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
So said:
Part of what my company does is rent flats and about 6 months ago a couple in their late 50s rented one

I am tempted just to give them notice
What's the score with the end of the fixed period? When can you issue an s21?

[quote]however I want them gone swiftly.
Can you give s8, grounds 12 or 14? Two weeks notice.

The other question - phone 101 or not?

bigandclever

13,767 posts

238 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
So said:
My understanding is that if she is plying her trade on her own she is not breaking the law. However, it appears that he is the "business owner". That being the case, I believe he would be living off immoral earnings and committing an offence under The Sexual Offences Act, 2003.
How do you know it's not him plying his trade? It's a funny old world smile

mcg_

1,445 posts

92 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
If they're looking after the flat, let them crack on?

rxe

6,700 posts

103 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
Quite. They're not wrecking the place, I'd imagine the utility bills will be low, and other than needing to clean the DNA off the bedroom carpet, there won't be any issues when they leave.

Let them crack on.

E36GUY

5,906 posts

218 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
This story rofl

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

222 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
Can you give s8, grounds 12 or 14? Two weeks notice.

The other question - phone 101 or not?
I can get rid down the legal route, but as I say I want them gone soon.

I am not particularly bothered about dobbing them in. I've seen no evidence that either of them is acting against his or her will and police involvement may delay their departure.




TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
So said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Can you give s8, grounds 12 or 14? Two weeks notice.

The other question - phone 101 or not?
I can get rid down the legal route, but as I say I want them gone soon.
So, umm, get some large mates around and "evict" them...?

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

222 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
So said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Can you give s8, grounds 12 or 14? Two weeks notice.

The other question - phone 101 or not?
I can get rid down the legal route, but as I say I want them gone soon.
So, umm, get some large mates around and "evict" them...?
I was thinking along the lines of saying to him, "I thought you said you earned your living as a bus driver. The way I suspect you earn it is less legal. How do you want to play this?"

theboss

6,909 posts

219 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
This all sounds very bizarre on the part of the OP - has anyone actually complained? Is there any direct breach of the agreement they signed i.e. They are meant to permanently reside there rather than just use it as some sort of occasional sex dungeon? You have no evidence of illegal or immoral activity save for the fact that they seem to invite blokes around. I'm puzzled as to why your immediate reaction is to try and insist that they leave, ASAP.

SantaBarbara

3,244 posts

108 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
So said:
A slightly unusual and, dare I say it, amusing situation has come up.

Part of what my company does is rent flats and about 6 months ago a couple in their late 50s rented one, with a plausible back story.

Our handyman, who's an astute chap, reported that the situation didn't seem right when he visited. So I asked him to be vigilant.

When a fire alarm went off a few weeks ago, he went into the flat and found it largely unfurnished save for a four-poster bed in the bedroom. The kitchen was empty and an open wardrobe contained nothing but two PVC bikinis, two peaked caps and a dildo of about 18 inches with a rubber sucker on one end.

Further enquiries have revealed that men have been seen loitering outside the flat on mobile phones, immediately prior to being let in.

It's amusing because neither of the tenants are someone you'd want to see in a PVC bikini, nor using a massive rubber dildo in anger.

The situation does, however, present me with a problem. How to handle the situation. I am tempted just to give them notice, however I want them gone swiftly. My understanding is that if she is plying her trade on her own she is not breaking the law. However, it appears that he is the "business owner". That being the case, I believe he would be living off immoral earnings and committing an offence under The Sexual Offences Act, 2003.

Before anyone suggests it, putting the rent up as compensation would also be an offence I think!

Any suggestions regarding the best way to play it?
Ask to visit the place for an inventory check

S11Steve

6,374 posts

184 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
I suspect that your tenants may well be "fronts" to get the AST in place, but the premises is operated by another, and the girls on duty will vary day by day.
I met with a guy a few weeks back through work who happened to be dealing with an immigration issue at one of his BtL properties - Romanian and Thai girls were being trafficked into work in various pop-up brothels, many of which are let via a third party, or increasingly via AirBnB.

I think the phrase is "lawyer-up", but also having a frank chat with them about leaving quietly by mutual agreement, and nobody says anything may be my preferred course of action.

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

222 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
theboss said:
This all sounds very bizarre on the part of the OP - has anyone actually complained? Is there any direct breach of the agreement they signed i.e. They are meant to permanently reside there rather than just use it as some sort of occasional sex dungeon? You have no evidence of illegal or immoral activity save for the fact that they seem to invite blokes around. I'm puzzled as to why your immediate reaction is to try and insist that they leave, ASAP.
No one has complained, yes the contract specifically prohibits doing anything illegal.

I want them gone ASAP because we risk reputational damage if it gets out that we knowingly allow stuff like this in our flats.

BMWBen

4,899 posts

201 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
So said:
A slightly unusual and, dare I say it, amusing situation has come up.

Part of what my company does is rent flats and about 6 months ago a couple in their late 50s rented one, with a plausible back story.

Our handyman, who's an astute chap, reported that the situation didn't seem right when he visited. So I asked him to be vigilant.

When a fire alarm went off a few weeks ago, he went into the flat and found it largely unfurnished save for a four-poster bed in the bedroom. The kitchen was empty and an open wardrobe contained nothing but two PVC bikinis, two peaked caps and a dildo of about 18 inches with a rubber sucker on one end.

Further enquiries have revealed that men have been seen loitering outside the flat on mobile phones, immediately prior to being let in.

It's amusing because neither of the tenants are someone you'd want to see in a PVC bikini, nor using a massive rubber dildo in anger.

The situation does, however, present me with a problem. How to handle the situation. I am tempted just to give them notice, however I want them gone swiftly. My understanding is that if she is plying her trade on her own she is not breaking the law. However, it appears that he is the "business owner". That being the case, I believe he would be living off immoral earnings and committing an offence under The Sexual Offences Act, 2003.

Before anyone suggests it, putting the rent up as compensation would also be an offence I think!

Any suggestions regarding the best way to play it?
You've made a lot of assumptions there... you've got no evidence at all that any exchange of money is involved. Unless someone complains I'd do nothing, it's not really your business.

SantaBarbara

3,244 posts

108 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
They may just be Swingers

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
So said:
yes the contract specifically prohibits doing anything illegal.
So if you can prove that, then you've got your s8 ground 12 notice.

But how do you prove it? Right now, all you know is that they have minimalist taste in furnishings, and that they may have some odd friends (but whom nobody has complained about).

So

Original Poster:

26,271 posts

222 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
So said:
yes the contract specifically prohibits doing anything illegal.
So if you can prove that, then you've got your s8 ground 12 notice.

But how do you prove it? Right now, all you know is that they have minimalist taste in furnishings, and that they may have some odd friends (but whom nobody has complained about).
If it walks like a duck and quacks...

They're running a knocking shop and we're not tolerating it in one of our properties.

SantaBarbara

3,244 posts

108 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
So said:
If it walks like a duck and quacks...

They're running a knocking shop and we're not tolerating it in one of our properties.
We do not know what they are doing

But nevertheless we are not tolerating it

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

126 months

Wednesday 6th September 2017
quotequote all
So said:
If it walks like a duck and quacks...

They're running a knocking shop and we're not tolerating it in one of our properties.
Yes, they probably are. "Probably" isn't good enough, though, is it?

If you call 101, you can then point to whatever the police find as proof for the s8, and have 'em out (legally) in two weeks.

Otherwise, unless you issue them an s21 and wait two months from the end of the fixed period of the tenancy, your choice is simply to ask them nicely to leave because you have your suspicions (and what if they deny everything?), to put up with it... or to join them on the wrong side of the law.

I'm not sure that illegal evictions will help your business reputation, will they?